KUALA LUMPUR: Over 2000 individuals have been given the PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) which serves to reduce the risk of HIV infections under the Health Ministry’s pilot programme.
Dr Zaliha Mustafa said as at Sept 30, a total of 2714 patients have been given the drug.
“We found that there was a decline in syphilis infection rate from 11% to less than 1%, that is the indirect impact(of the use of the drug). The percentage of clients who did not use condoms fell from 6.3% to 3.9%,” the Health Minister said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 7).
“The percentage of clients who had multiple sexual partners fell from 44.5% to 36.1%. There were 14 clients who stopped using PrEP because they no longer engaged in high risk sexual activities,” she said.
She said there were only three HIV positive cases or 0.11% among the participants of the program due to non-compliance to the requirements of the drug.
“This rate is far less than other countries which implemented PrEP earlier. These countries had a HIV positive rate of (3-4%),” she said.
She said based on initial findings, the majority of the patients under the programme had complied to the requirements.
Dr Zaliha said the PrEP programme had been expanded to 21 health clinics from 18 clinics. It will be expanded to 30 more health clinics next year.
She was responding to a question by Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat) on the status of the pilot programme and whether it will be expanded to other facilities.
In a supplementary question, Ahmad Yunus also asked if there will be financial impacts after the end of the pilot programme.
He also asked for the government’s stance on the use of the medicine which has become a polemic among Muslim doctors especially those involved in this programme.
“The fatwa council of Selangor and Kedah was of the view that PrEP should be banned unless used on married couples with a HIV positive partner,” he asked.
He said the national fatwa council has also yet to make a stance on the matter and asked what is the status of users choosing abstinence from high risk sexual activities, which he said would be the right move for Muslim users.
Dr Zaliha said the drug cost about RM521,000 and was sponsored by the Malaysian Aids Council for the pilot programme.
She said there are a high number of HIV patients who need treatment, adding that the government's stance is to treat everyone and not ascribe blame.
“We will treat anyone with a risk of HIV if they come voluntarily to any of our facilities.
“We have seen the efficacy of the programme during the initial stages. For example we have seen patients from Kelantan who want to be treated but there are no facilities (offering PrEP) there. As such, they have to come to Kuala Lumpur for treatment,” she said.
“This means there is demand and this is why we plan to expand the offering,” she added.
On abstinence, she said the number of clients with multiple sexual partners have also declined among PrEP users in the programme.
“We not only give them medicines but we also provide counselling on how to lead a non-risky lifestyle. Eventually we want abstinence,” she said.
She said participants come to healthcare facilities on a voluntary basis and also added that religious leaders also play a role to help these patients.
The one-year PrEPGov2023 programme has been conducted at 18 health clinics under the Health Ministry since January 2023.
Dr Zaliha said the data from the study will be analysed in early 2024 to determine the direct and indirect impacts of the drug for HIV and high risk behaviour prevention.
In January, the Selangor mufti department said in an advisory which was a response to a query that administering the drug to homosexuals is “prohibited” because it is akin to colluding in sinful activities.
